Lighting in Design Q4 2021

while vertical illuminance makes orientation easier in a space. Detailed accent lighting improves the perception and attractiveness of highlighted items. Using a high CRI light source and a well-balanced mix of light greatly contributes to the overall feeling of welcomeness, giving guests a feeling of comfort and security. Colour, reflection and contrast There are a number of factors to consider when lighting a space: the size and shape of the space, the intended use of the space, the intended audience, and the intended message the brand conveys. Many elements come into play, such as colour, reflection, contrast, and energy efficiency, that make a hospitality lighting design successful. Colour : Two units of measure are used defining light source colour properties: Correlated Colour Temperature and Colour Rendering Index. All light sources are not equal. Two white light sources may look the same, but can render colours differently or provide a different feel to the space. By using lamps of the same Correlated Colour Temperature and with the same, or very similar, Colour Rendering Indices, the space will have even, consistent illumination throughout. Reflection and glare are both useful and yet potentially harmful to hospitality lighting; they can attract the eye to your environment when used properly, but irritate and annoy when used incorrectly. A very bright space is not the most effective solution. Using contrast to highlight different areas of your space, helps guests feel more comfortable and draws attention to featured locations. Reflection: Reflection of light off of the various surfaces within the space should be accounted for in the lighting design. When surfaces with a higher reflectance are used, light is reflected back into the space, and higher illuminance levels are created. Light reflectance is based on a scale of 0, total surface light absorption, to 100, total light reflection. Spread reflection materials, such as brushed aluminium, have a high, though diffused, reflection, reflecting 5-10% of light. Diffused reflection materials, as simple as a white painted wall, give a uniform brightness, and are good reflecting backgrounds for coves and smaller spaces. In addition to reduced energy costs, white and light-reflective surfaces help reduce shadows from shelving and low walls. Contrast ratios: Hospitality environments need to make the patrons feel comfortable while accenting key areas and allowing for important tasks. Simply increasing brightness is not only a waste of electricity, but is also not effective. Bright spaces with lots of glare make guests uncomfortable and less likely to return. The key is layering light and using contrast throughout the space. There are four basic layers of lighting: General lighting, also called ambient, accent lighting, task lighting, and decorative lighting.

Contrast is achieved by using an increased illumination within the different types of light, commonly task and accent, to emphasise featured items against the general light levels. Contrast can be used to create visual hierarchies within the environment, enabling attention to be drawn to and focused on certain items based on the contrast ratio. For example, a 2:1 contrast ratio, with the accent lighting being two times brighter than the general lighting level, creates a barely recognisable contrast, whereas a 30:1 contrast ratio will create a strong focal effect on the focal items. Each type of lighting has many options, and by incorporating the recommended light levels and contrast ratios, the end result is a space with high visual interest, depth, and dimension. Layers of light There are four layers of light typically used in hospitality lighting: general (also called ambient) lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, and decorative lighting. Combining and balancing these lighting types gives visual interest to the space and creates a more attractive, exiting and inviting environment. General lighting: General lighting is the main source of illumination in a space. This uniform, base level of lighting can easily become the focus of energy reduction, as the light levels from other fixtures can be lowered, especially when using LED

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LiD Q4 - 2021